Combination window and screen construction



March 16, 1965 H. L. WOOTTEN 3,

COMBINATION wmoow AND SCREEN CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 2, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR HOWARD L. WOOTTEN ATTORNEY March 16, 1965 H. L. WOOTTEN COMBINATION WINDOW AND SCREEN CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1963 INVENTOR HOWARD L Woorns/v ATTORNEY United States Patent ()filice 3,173,474 COMBINATION WINDOW AND SCREEN CONSTRUCTION Howard L. Wootten, Burtousville, Md. Filed Aug. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 299,537 2 Claims. (Cl. 160-27) This invention relates to roller-type window screens designed for inclusion in mill assembly operations while double hung sash are being fabricated.

Although there has been considerable activity in the prior patented art which disclosed many attempts to achieve the ultimate in the combination window and roller screen assembly, this concept has not received general acceptance among builders, woodworking, steel and/or aluminum window fabricating mills or the general public.

Generally speaking, these devices have included a receptacle arranged to contain the screen wire cloth and suitable spring re-winding mechanism therein to permit the Withdrawal of the wire cloth therefrom, as well as its return thereto. In these devices, the free end of the wire is attachable by the purchaser to either the top or bottom sash depending upon whether it is desired to mount the receptacle on the inner sill portion or adjacent to the top of the frame.

Manifestly, the complete failure of devices of this type to have been accepted by the public is principally attributable to their appearance and not entirely to their lack of practicality. In the common place window screen arrangement, the screen or mesh portion is secured to a rigid frame. With such a construction the full area of the screen is in position to obstruct view through the Window even when the window itself is closed, unless the screen frame is physically removed from the window. Nevertheless, the fixed screen has continued to be in common acceptance and usage because of the difliculties inherent in providing a satisfactory roller-type screen assembly.

With the advent in recent years of improvements in techniques in mass home building, more advances have been made in this field to enable woodworking, steel and/or aluminum fabricating mills to pre-assemble certain portions of the home so that when the elements thereof are shipped to the building site, construction will be much more rapid and economical.

In this manner, those prospective home buyers who cannot afford to build or have built a custom home will nevertheless receive for the value of money expended a much better home, since the fabricators with their modern equipment can plan and produce, much more economically, pre-cut and fitted elements for use in house construction, thus reducing the per-hour cost requirement of carpenters and other skilled workmen who will not have to spend time in cutting, fitting and assembling the home as is a prerequisite to custom built homes.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a roller screen assembly that is adaptable to woodworking, steel or aluminum fabricating mill assembly operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roller window assembly which may be packaged and sold in hardware and similar stores to homeowners who may in some instances desire to install the devices themselves.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved simplified method for maintaining the lateral edges of the screen wire in taut relation relative to the side frame portions.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved spring roller upon which the screen wire is maintained in a taut condition when retracted thereon.

The details of the invention, as well as additional objects and advantages, will be clearly understood with reference 3,173,474 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings employing similar reference numerals to identify the same elements in each of the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a double hung sash mounted in a frame with the lower sash being split perpendicularly medially thereof to show the roller screen partially withdrawn from its concealment back of the inner sill;

FIG. 2 is atop sectional view in line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the cooperation of the roller window screen with the side frame portions and a channeled guide strip;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing the free end of the wire attached to the inner lower edge of the sash;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view looking at the right side of the window frame showing the roller window screen and the supporting bracket therefor;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detailed enlarged view of an alternative form of the invention for maintaining the lateral edges of the window screen wire taut;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detailed top plan view of the alternative form of the invention for securing the window screen between the frame and a channeled guide strip; and

FIG. 7 is an improved combined Weatherstrip and window screen attachment for the lower sash.

With reference to FIG. 1 there is shown a window frame 19 provided with slidably arranged upper and lower sashes 11 and 12, respectively. In this front elevational view the lower sash has been divided on a medial, perpendicular line to indicate, as in the left, that the sash is down and fully closed and in the right in a partially opened position with the roller window screen withdrawn from beneath the sill portion.

With reference to FIG. 3 there is shown an enlarged side elevational View of the window frame 10 including the outer sill portion 13, an inner sill portion 14 and a removable trim panel 15 positioned therebeneath. It will be noted that the lower sash 12 also includes a leading edge L and a trailing edge indicated at T. The window screen cloth 16 is shown partially wound upon a springtype roller 17 with its free end 18 being bent back upon itself and adapted to receive an apertured rigid transversely extending plate member 19. The thus assembled elements are positioned in a grooved portion at the inner lower edge of the sash and securely held therein by countersunk screws inserted in a finishing strip 20. It isto be understood that where steel sash are used the fabricators will pre-thread the inner lower edge of the sash in an appropriate manner to receive the screws that retain the finishing strip and the assembled elements cooperating therewith. However, where aluminum frame and sash are utilized self-tapping screws may be provided for use in the assembly operation. The finishing strip may be wood, metal, plastic or any other material preferable or desirable that may match or contrast to the color of the woodwork. As is best shown in FIG. 3, when the inner sill 14 and the trim panel 15 are secured to the frame, which has been installed in the opening in a house, the inner sill 14 and the outer sill 13 thus provide between their offstanding edges a slot through which the free end of the screen wire cloth 16 may pass to be then suitably secured to the lower window sash, as indicated hereinbefore.

Referring at this time to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the side portion of window frame 10 is provided with a channel member 21 which may be made of metal or any suitable plastic material that is adapted to slidably receive the lower sash 12, as illustrated. The longitudinally extending beads 23, best illustrated in this View,

are provided at the opposite selvedge edges of the wire cloth 16 by any convenient means. The preferred manner of creating the beaded shape to the wire cloth is by pulling it through a more or less conventional frustoconical coiler or spinner. This coiler will function to roll the selvedge edges of the wire back upon itself to a distance sufiicient to provide the tightly formed beads thereon.

In FIG. 6 there is shown an enlarged fragmentary sectional plan view of one bead 23 as it appears upon close examination. It is to be noted that the channeled guide strip 24 is adapted to encompass the bead in such a manner as to urge it laterally into proximity with the side frame portion 10, thus maintaining the wire screen material 16 in a substantially taut condition.

FIG, 4 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention and in which the lateral selvedge edge of one extremity of the wire screen cloth is shown as having been formed so as to provide a longitudinally extending guideway 24. This guideway may be formed by bending the selvedge edge of the wire screen cloth back upon itself, around a forming tool of desired perimeter, for a suitable distance and thereafter securing it against the flat surfaces thereof by means of a wire thread. In this form of the invention, the channeled guide strip 24 cooperates with the bead portion in the same manner as previously described relative to the preferred embodiment, but in addition, in this arrangement there is a bracket 26 secured to the side frame portion 10, said bracket being provided with an elongated downwardly extending leg 27 the lower end thereof being formed with a ball-like head 28. It will be apparent that when the lower sash is raised, also as previously described with regard to the preferred embodiment, that the opposed, lateral, perpendicularly extending guideways will traverse upwardly on the elongated rod 27, thus maintaining the wire, in conjunction with the channeled guide strip, in a taut condition.

Further, with regard to FIG. 4, it is to be noted that there is secured adjacent to the lower end of the side frame portions (only one being visible in this view) a rigid plate 29 which is suitably fastened thereto, for example, by countersunk screws. The forwardly projecting edge of this plate which is adjacent to the inner sill portion is provided with as lotted aperture and thus adapted to receive the spring-winding leg of the roller 17, previously described. A corresponding diametrically opposed, rigid plate 29 carried at the lower edge of the other side frame portion 10 is provided with an aperture adapted to support the pin on the opposite extremity of the roller 17. A stop means 30 is pivotally secured to the rigid arm and is utilized to prevent the spring-Winding leg of the roller assembly from being inadvertently removed from the rigid bracket.

In FIG. 7 there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of the invention and in which the lower sash 12 (wooden in this instance) is channeled generally as at 33 to receive the cooperative elements described with regard to the preferred embodiment. However, in this form of the invention the transversely extending apertured plate 34 is substantially H in shape in cross-section and is arranged with its bifurcated portion projecting downwardly. As is apparent from this view, the upstanding leg of the Weatherstrip element W is arranged to be seated in the transverse groove provided between the thus arranged depending bifurcations.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been depicted and described, it will be apparent that these embodiments are illustrative in nature and that a number of modifications in the apparatus and variations in its end use may be eiiected Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A window assembly comprising, a window frame having top, side, inner and outer sill portions, channel means carried by the side portions of the frame to slidably support a sash within the latter, a transversely disposed recess extending substantially throughout the length of the trailing edge of said sash, rigid means secured adjacent to the lower extremity of each of the side frame portions and having free ends extending below the outer sill portion, a roller screen supported between the free ends of the rigid means, an inner sill strip portion, a removable inner trim panel positioned beneatth the inner sill strip portion, the inner and outer sill portions providing a transverse slot through which the free end of the roller screen is arranged to project, a first apertured transverse rigid means secured in a bight portion at the free end of said roller screen, first transverse means also comprising a dependent body portion having a cross-section substantially approximately an H having an 0&- standing portion received in the recess in such sash and including a downwardly extending bifurcation, a second transverse rigid means adapted to cooperate with said first transverse means to secure the free end of said roller screen adjacent to the bottom of the sash, the lateral extremities of the roller screen being provided with rolled perpendicularly extending beads, channeled guide strip means secured to the side frame portions adjacent to said rolled beads adapted to confine the beads of said roller screen between the side frame portions and said guide strip means, and weather strip means including an upstanding leg portion positioned on said outer sill portion adjacent to said transverse slotted area, said upstanding leg portion being arranged complemental to the dependent bifurcation of said first transverse means and being received therein when the sash is lowered into contact with the outer sill portion.

2. A window assembly as in claim 1, wherein the roller screen includes a width of wire cloth adequate to span the opening between the frame, said cloth being coiled upon itself to form longitudinal beads along the opposite edges thereof, diametrically opposed substantially semicylindrical longitudinally extending recesses in the confronting surfaces of the frame adapted to receive a portion of the perimeter of said coiled head of the cloth, and a guide strip means, said guide strip means including a perimetrical portion defining an area substantially complemental to the remaining area of the bead, whereby the cloth may be maintained in a taut condition in the frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 290,568 12/83 Geist -27 797,652 8/05 Wilson 160-27 881,507 3/08 Wallen 160-27 940,569 11/09 Wilgis 16027 1,038,138 9/12 Hikes 16027 2,432,808 12/47 Royak 160--27 2,890,501 6/59 Polson et a1 1609l HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,173,474 March 16, 1965 Howard L, Wootten It is hereby certified-that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as I corrected below.

Column 3, line 45,

for "as lotted" read a slotted column 4, line 18, for "beneatth" read beneath line 50, after "cloth" strike out the comma.

' Signed arid sealed this 24th day of August 1965s (SEAL) Atlcst:

ERNEST W. SWIDER A nesting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER. Commissioner of Patents 

1. A WINDOW ASSEMBLY COMPRISING, A WINDOW FRAME HAVING TOP, SIDE, INNER AND OUTER SILL PORTIONS, CHANNEL MEANS CARRIED BY THE SIDE PORTIONS OF THE FRAME TO SLIDABLY SUPPORTED A SASH WITHIN THE LATTER, A TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED RECESS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF THE TRAILING EDGE OF SAID SASH, RIGID MEANS SECURED ADJACENT TO THE LOWER FREE ENDS EXTENDING BELOW THE OUTER PORTIONS AND HAVING FREE ENDS EXTENDING BELOW THE OUTER SILL PORTION, A ROLLER SCREEN SUPPORTED BETWEEN THE FREE ENDS OF THE RIGID MEANS, AN INNER SILL STRIP PORTION, A REMOVABLE INNER TRIM POSITIONED BENEATH THE INNER SILL STRIP PORTION, THE INNER AND OUTER SILL PORTIONS PROVIDING A TRANSVERSE SLOT THROUGH WHICH THE FREE END OF THE ROLLER SCREEN IS ARRANGED TO PROJECT, A FIRST APERTURED TRANSVERSE RIGID MEANS SECURED IN A BIGHT PORTION AT THE FREE END OF SAID ROLLER SCREEN, FIRST TRANSVERSE MEANS ALSO COMPRISING A DEPENDENT BODY PORTION HAVING A CROSS-SECTION SUBSTANTIALLY APPROXIMATELY AN H HAVING AN OFFSTANDING PORTION RECEIVED IN THE RECESS IN SUCH SASH AND INCLUDING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING BIFURCATION, A SECOND TRANSVERSE RIGID MEANS ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH SAID FIRST TRANSVERSE MEANS TO SECURE THE FREE END OF SAID ROLLER SCREEN ADJACENT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SASH, THE LATERAL EXTREMITIES OF THE ROLLER SCREEN BEING PROVIDED WITH ROLLER PERPENDICULARLY EXTENDING BEADS, CHANNELED GUIDE STRIP MEANS SECURED TO THE SIDE FRAME PORTIONS ADJACENT TO SAID ROLLED BEADS ADAPTED TO CONFINE THE BEADS OF SAID ROLLER SCREEN BETWEEN THE SIDE FRAME PORTIONS AND SAID GUIDE STRIP MEANS, AND WEATHER STRIP MEANS INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING LEG PORTION POSITIONED ON SAID OUTER SILL PORTION ADJACENT TO SAID TRANSVERSE SLOTTED AREA, SAID UPSTANDING LEG PORTION BEING ARRANGED COMPLEMENTAL TO THE DEPENDENT BIFURCATION OF SAID FIRST TRANSVERSE MEANS AND BEING RECEIVED THEREIN WHEN THE SASH IS LOWERED INTO CONTACT WITH THE OUTER SILL PORTION. 